Breakfast Ideas

The Country Boys Breakfast,(feeds 4)

Now this recipe works well with all game but Wood Pigeon & Rabbit is probably my favorite as I have

plenty of each on hand, As with all my recipes treat the measurements as a guide or Somerset

Measures as I like to call them which roughly means to your own taste.

8 wood pigeon breasts or 1 rabbit jointed from the loin down to the back legs up & diced into small cubes

8 (eggs) cackle berries

8 rashers of smoked or un-smoked depending on your own taste but smoked is best of good bacon

8 Lincolnshire pork sausages

2 red onions

1 punnet of mushrooms

16 good slices of black pudding

Salt & black pepper for seasoning

Cooking time 25 mins

1st put 5 plates in the oven or warmer,

Then get a big frying pan the bigger the better and get the sausages & bacon cooking when this is cooked to your liking take them out & keep it warm on one of the plates in the warmer.

Whilst that was cooking you will have diced up your onions/mushrooms chunky or fine whatever suits you now these (I said no waste) need to go in the pan you just cooked the sausages & bacon in now when these are cooked to your liking (season with the salt & black pepper how you like it) put them on the plate in the warmer with the

Sausages, Now put the black in the same pan start cooking the black pudding on both sides until its

Cooked just how you like it, Right now for the pigeon or rabbit with the pigeon I usually cook it for about 1 min 30 seconds each breast each side & serve it pink when you have done this put the breasts on the plates in the warmer,

If your using rabbit make sure its thoroughly cooked through as its a white meat not like pigeon its a red meat, Now for the cackle berries(eggs) Fry these in what’s left of the juices of the pan and again cook them how you like them scrambles egg also goes nice with this too,

Whilst the eggs are cooking get the 4 plates out & start to build the breakfast start off with 4 slices of black pudding then the pigeon or rabbit with the onions & mushrooms & sausage’s lightly tossed together with the bacon over the top & the cackle berries (eggs) on top of this, I like the cackle berries (eggs) on top as I like the runny yolk to go right down through, Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

Now that’s a proper country boys breakfast eh muckers.

Also something else that works nice is instead of frying the pigeon is simply braising it in a little gravy in its own juices & serving it this way just like the old fashion braised kidney recipes.

I also have a nice couple of slices of fresh crusty bread with real butter on & plenty of mugs of tea too, also beans & some fried potatoes goes well with it, I have also been known because of my sweet tooth to drizzles some proper Canadian Maple Syrup over it now this makes a whole other delight.

The Pigeon Shooters Breakfast (feed 1-4)

Now this recipe works well as a breakfast or could easily be adapted as a starter but none the less it works so well with one of my most favorite and underestimated meats.

The Humble Wood pigeon.

8 Wood pigeon breasts

8 slices of bread white/brown or whatever floats your boat

Butter (real farmhouse stuff) or spread

Herbs de Province

A garlic clove

Black pepper

Salt

Cooking time 20 mins

First toast all your bread to how you like it then put aside to stand and crisp up, Whilst you were toasting your bread you should have had some of your butter melting in a med hot frying pan, When the butter is all melted just as it is starting to bubble slightly add 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic and let that cook off for about 5 mins,

Season your pigeon breast with salt and black pepper and add them to the frying pan I suggest 2 mins each side serve them pink just like a good steak,

Now while they are cooking add to a bowl enough butter to spread on all the toast the thicker better for me and add some black pepper a pinch of herbs de province and again 3 cloves of freshly chopped.

Garlic or more if you love garlic like I do, Again it comes down to personal choice, Now with a wooden spoon beat all the ingredients together be rough and pound all the flavors together, By this time you pigeon should be cooked to your liking put to the side to rest for a few moments whilst you butter your toast then thinly slice the pigeon and add to the top of the freshly buttered garlic toast, Now get it down yer kneck and enjoy with a nice Mug of freshly percolated Coffee, This also goes well with a bit of grated mature Somerset Cheddar cheese grated over the top.